Been riding a short time now and my thighs when I am standing during decents ache bad down the front and its as if I don’t have enough strenght which I prob don’t its a frustrating thing that I wanna improve quickly – any suggestions – been trying to stand as much as possible to improve my muscles there- slow progress so far!

nothing good comes quick…. slow and steady, build yourself into a rider over months and years… no short cuts.

you can hep yourself by use the gym (squats) – so long as its free weights and not machines then it’ll help…

but nothing beats riding, riding and riding more.

Get your back against the wall and lower yourself down it until your knees are at 90 degrees. hold it as long as you can.

Also, when your descending, pump the trail with your legs, this will stop you from trying to hold the same position for a long time and will reduce fatigue.

Squats, lunges, plyometric jump training. Do them properly, google for form and good practice. My tip if you lack weights etc. would be 21’s. Deliciously simple, horrifically painful but great results. Here’s how it works:

Start with 21 press-ups
Then jump to your feet in one motion.
Do one body weight squat, keep your knees over your toes, sit backwards and drive all the way up.
Then do 20 press-ups.
One squat.
19 Press-ups
One Squat
18 Press ups……

continue all the way down to 1 press-up, 1 squat. By the end your press-ups will be desperate!

Then start with 1 squat 1 press-up
2 Squats 1 press-up
3 squats 1 press-up
4 squats 1 press-up

all the way back up till you are on 21 body weight squats 1 press-up.

In the end you will have done over 250 of each, and if you have done it correctly you won’t be able to walk in the morning the first time! But do it once a week for a few weeks and you will improve your neuromuscular facilitation (strength in a muscle at a given size) no end and will feel strong to the end of even long descents.

The first time I did this was with half the Sale Sharks Rugby Union squad, I had to crawl to the shower the following day but I earned respect and my leg strength improved so fast.

Good luck,

Richard

Pedal Precision: Professional Bike Fit and Cycling Injury Specialists
http://www.pedalprecision.com

Richard thanks I’ll give it a go!

Was so much easier when you were a teenager- used to do skating and my legs were so strong – having babies really knocks you for six!

Flippin heck DickieS – sounds mental – I’ll have a go at that…. 😈
just demolished my home made pizza.. so think I’ll leave it till the morning…
cant wait.

Bleedin’ Nora that’s harsh! The pain felt on the decent will be like an effing cakewalk after trying that lot :-/

Maybe not go for the full 21’s on the first go, if you aren’t used to that level of exercise. Press ups are hard work and 250 in one session would risk injury until you’re used to it. If Sale RU squad are using it they are full time pro sportsmen playing a strength based sport, and if it’s doing them any good it will be hard for them too. Being unable to walk afterwards is not a good sign, although of course it does mean you can grasp your cock and wave it with the rest of them.

You know your own limitations / fitness level. Maybe start trying to do 10, or 5, or? and if you find that too easy go bigger next time. Better than doing yourself damage first time up.

Are you standing on the bike quite low / far back with plenty of bend in your knees?

Try raising your ‘attack’ position a bit, obviously your knees need to be bent but it’s often not as much as people think … the more upright you are (straighter legs) the less work your quads need to do to hold your weight.

Was about to say are you male or female ? Then read the babies bit !

Please please please don’t do what Dickie S says unless you want to hurt yourself.

Ride your bike – ride up lots of climbs, don’t avoid them. You are female so won’t naturally develop that much muscle in that area anyway. No quick fixes here.

yep +1 for doing lots of ‘hill climbs’ !!!!! thats how i got stronger legs…it really works (it helps if you have a partner who constantly says (dont stop till you get to the top(then you can rest) (i always have my sons voice in the back of my head gruelling at me DONT STOP !!!! so i dont….. it gets me up most hill climbs ! punishment but you get strong ! 😉

I get this but in the back of my lower leg (dunno what the muscle is called). Riding more definitely helps, takes ages though and I still end up sitting down on some parts of the descent if it’s long, to relieve the muscles a bit.

yeah was meanig I would give it a go but perhaps a bit less. More climbing I am trying to do and really enjoying it to. I am the voice in y head – by other half usually up the top infrot of me so I chase after and push harder! I constatly compete with myself so I do ted to push each time I go out.

Yeah too may squats after two babies not a great idea!!!

There is some very poor advice up there and there is some very good advice up there. Listen to Hels.

As for the 21s thing – how the hell are push ups going to help build strength in your legs?